A Winter's Tale
by Arabella Thorne
Summary: A little something for the winter holidays. Dedicated to Dragon! This is the tale I promised! Arwen and Celebrian go out hunting a deer for the traditional Eve of Yule feast (and thanks Laura fro your support and beta-ing) CONCLUSION
1. Default Chapter

Arwen peered through the thin branches of the hawthorn bush and watched the doe and the yearling fawn scrape through the crusty ice and snow in the small glade before her.  
  
She raised her bow and sighted on the doe, who, just as she was about to let fly with the arrow, looked straight at her with deep brown eyes. She lowered her head and quickly licked the neck of her rail thin offspring who nuzzled her back and bent again to look for forage.  
  
Arwen dropped her arm and let the arrow slide out of position. She just could not do it. Now matter what her brothers might say to her when she trudged back empty handed. It was a hard winter for everybody and killing this doe and leaving the fawn defenseless and near starving, well, she just could not do it.  
  
Sighing, the ten-year-old she elf, walked through the plume of her heated breath and light footed, went back to her home.  
  
As she made her careful way through a thick stand of saplings and older trees, she smiled to herself. Well, perhaps she was coming home without a haunch of venison, but she took with her the lovely image of the doe and her fawn.  
  
Besides, it was almost Yule. And this would be her winter gift to the doe and fawn!  
  
As she went down the road, adjusting her quiver, she decided, after lessons with Amme tomorrow morning, she would go back to where she had seen the two deer and bring them an armload of hay from the stables.  
  
Seeing the elegant roof line of her home, Arwen ran down the road, over the bridge and the mostly frozen Bruinen and into the main courtyard before the House. Removing her quiver, she waved to the guards and ran up the stairs and into the House. She stopped as she came in and brushed off the snow from her cape and then went to the nearby armory to store her bow and arrows. Making sure the small but graceful weapon was undamaged by the weather, she placed it near her brothers. Her shoulders slumped slightly. Their quivers and bows were missing. As was Ada's.  
  
Sighing heavily she went slowly back to her room. They had gone hunting without her. Probably because Elladan reminded the other two of their last attempt to hunt together, when Elladan, about to bring down a magnificent stag lost his chance because Arwen, so excited by the huge beast, stumbled over a buried branch and startled the animal (and Elladan) allowing it to flee.  
  
"There goes a whole weeks worth of meat Arwen!" He hissed as he carefully put away the unspent arrow.  
  
Arwen had hung her head, aware of her mistake.  
  
And of course, this mistake would haunt her forever. At least, if Elladan had his way!  
  
She kicked the highly polished wood floor beneath her soft waterproof boots and went ungracefully back to her room, allowing her cape to drag behind her.  
  
Once in her room, she flung the cape into a corner and then flung herself into her window seat, ignoring the beautiful frost patterns on the glass panes before her.  
  
Stupid deer! She could have showed her brothers and her parents that she was NOT the little girl they thought she was and could help support the House just like her brothers and father. Even Celebrian could hunt and had brought home meat for the larder. She picked up her small worn doll Cimbelin who sat nearby and held her close.  
  
Arwen put her head on her knees.  
  
Maybe tomorrow she would show her family that she was just as good a hunter and provider as they were.  
  
The next morning dawned grey and soft. There would be more snow before nightfall.  
  
At breakfast, Arwen kicked her heels impatiently as her brothers recounted their efforts to find a deer, but they and their father had come home empty- handed as well.  
  
Arwen could not resist commenting, "Well, at least I SAW a deer yesterday."  
  
Elrohir rolled his eyes and Elladan said in a clearly unimpressed voice, "Oh? Where?"  
  
"If I tell you, you will get her first. She is MY deer and I will be the one to catch her. So there!"  
  
Both brothers were about to let her have it, when their father's quiet voice cut through their talk. "That is enough my sons. Arwen, where did you see this deer? We sighted nary a hoof print yesterday."  
  
"Beyond where the river turns west, up in the-" She stopped herself and looked at her father who was smiling slightly, one eyebrow half raised.  
  
"Yes, where the river turns west and...?"  
  
She mumbled down at her bowl of porridge. "Nothing Ada. She is probably gone away. I-I scared her." Arwen cringed at this fib but knew by saying it that they would all think the deer had long since disappeared, which would leave her for Arwen to handle.  
  
Celebrian spoke up softly, "Well, perhaps after lessons this morning, you and I could go and seek out the deer. Would you like that?"  
  
Arwen raised shining eyes to her mother, "Oh Amme! That would be wonderful!"  
  
Arwen hurriedly finished her breakfast, and when she noticed her mother and father in quiet conversation, she looked at her brothers across from her and stuck out her tongue. With a hasty wipe of her mouth, she said quickly, "May I be excused Amme, Ada?"  
  
"Of course," Elrond said, smiling slightly at his daughter's eager leap off her chair and her rush out of the suite.  
  
Lallalyn put a hand on her unwieldy belly. She leaned against a tree as exhaustion took her. Tears began to dribble down her cheeks and then froze half way down. Oh Pallan! Where are you? The expectant mother kept plowing through the woods, following the tracks of her husband. But it had been getting harder and harder to maintain the energy to track Pallan through the snow.  
  
The young couple had been off to Bree from a village on the western edge of Mirkwood so that Pallan could find work. Four ragged bandits had attacked them. They had stabbed Pallan in the side and stolen their horse and supplies. Lallayn had been away from the camp looking for forage for their horse (and had taken the bow and quiver with her just in case she came across a rabbit). By the time she had gotten back, the bandits had left, and her husband was lying in the snow. She had done what she could for him and then they had set off. But the snowfall a few days before had confused them and they had gotten lost and could not find the East Road.  
  
Lallayn sighed deeply and adjusted her thin wool cloak. But they all needed to eat. It had been a least a day, or was it more?  
  
Wait! There were deer tracks here next to Pallan's! A veritable feast!! Lallayn wiped the crusty tears off her face and worked hard to be quiet as she followed her husband.  
  
Arwen, the tip of her small pink tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth, worked her embroidery stitches very carefully. It would not do to make a mistake right now, and have Mama make her redo it.  
  
Ahh! The last flower petal! She held up her embroidery frame and eyed the cascading blossoms around her Tengwar scripted alphabet and smiled. "Look Amme! I have finished that branch of jasmine! Can we go hunting now?"  
  
Celebrian looked up from the work she was doing and glanced out the window. The sky had gotten greyer, but there was still no snow yet. It would be a good day to track the deer. She lay down her embroidery frame and rose gracefully from her chair. "Come Arwen, let us change and go hunting!"  
  
"Yay!" Arwen covered her mouth at her exuberance and smiled at her mother. Running to hug her quickly, she rushed out of Celebrian's solarium and went to her room. Quickly pulling off her gown, she got into her one pair of leather trews (like her fathers) and pulled on a thick under shirt topped by a densely woven tunic. She sat on her bed and pulled on her boots from the day before. Hopping off, she rummaged in her wardrobe and found what she needed, her old rucksack. She was going to stuff hay in it for the hungry deer. Making sure her hair was tidily braided back, she rushed back to her parent's suite. Before entering, she knocked quietly, as her mother had requested. Receiving no reply, she frowned slightly and anxious, opened the door just a bit. The door to her parent's bedroom was slightly ajar, and she could just see her parents with their arms around each other, kissing. Her mother was just in her chemise.  
  
Making a face, Arwen left the suite and slumped to the floor out in the corridor to wait for one of them to leave.  
  
Rolling her eyes and putting her arms on her knees, she sighed heavily. Amme and Ada would probably be awhile before she saw one of them. Kissing! Yuck! Whatever her parents saw in kissing, Arwen could not fathom.  
  
Arwen was just done counting the floor tiles that she could see for the third time, when the door to her left opened, and Elrond stepped out. Adjusting the collar of his dark green robe, both his eyebrows went up at Arwen sitting on the floor.  
  
"Are you waiting for me princess?"  
  
"No Ada. Amme. She promised to go hunting remember?"  
  
"Ah, yes. She was dressing when I entered." He put a hand to his daughter's head fondly. "Go on, she will soon be done."  
  
Arwen looked at her father's rather bemused expression and shook her head as she entered the suite. Parents! They could be so strange sometimes!  
  
Rising from the floor, she went into the suite and caught her mother smiling to herself and humming quietly as she adjusted the fit of her leather tunic. She too was wearing trews and had braided her hair back.  
  
Arwen came in and sat in a chair watching her mother.  
  
"Are you happy to go hunting with me Amme?"  
  
Celebrian turned, her eyes shining. Stretching suddenly she said, "Of course darling. Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes Amme!" Arwen turned and raced ahead of her mother, who followed more slowly, still adjusting her braid. Arwen turned into the nearby armory and got her bow. Celebrian came in and pulled her bow and quiver off the wall and adjusting her quiver over her back, joined her anxious daughter at the great front doors. "Come on Amme! You are slow as a human!"  
  
"Arwen!"  
  
"Sorry Amme," she pulled open the carved oak door easily and rushed out into the cold. Waiting on the wide flagstone porch, she dashed off the moment her mother drew level with her and went down the stairs across the courtyard and into the stables. Pausing to track her mother's progress, she ran to her pony's stall and began putting on her tack. Finished, she stuffed dry hay into the rucksack and slung it on her shoulder.  
  
By the time she was done, Lady Celebrian had her horse saddled and looked at Arwen expectantly. With a cheerful shout, Arwen spurred Celebloth out of the courtyard and soon mother and daughter were clattering over the bridge in the crisp cold air to the lower reaches of the nearly frozen Bruinen.  
  
From a high balcony outside the now quiet Hall of Fire, Lord Elrond watched his wife and daughter race off. Smiling, he turned away, the plume of his breath following as he adjusted his thick fur cape. He would give them a few hours and then, he and his sons would join them. Surely between the five of them they could bring in one deer for the traditional Eve of Yule feast.  
  
Mother and daughter dismounted and Celebrian tied the horses up in a stand of aspen saplings. Ducking beneath sagging branches covered with snow, the two she elves crept quietly in the woods where Arwen had seen the doe and fawn earlier.  
  
Of course the animals had moved on, but the two elves moved silently searching for deer signs.  
  
Arwen sighed frostily as her mother went carefully around the edge of a small clearing. They were never going to find the deer and then the twins would assume she had made up the story to look better than they had.  
  
Celebrian turned to her daughter, the frost from her breath glittering in her blonde tresses like diamonds in the weak sunlight. "Come Arwen, I have found tracks!"  
  
Arwen could barely contain herself and swiftly joined her mother. But as she did, she looked down and then noticed off to the right of them about 10 feet were another pair of tracks.  
  
They looked like Elvish feet, but elves did not make a mark in the snow.  
  
"Mother, there are other prints here as well, and I do not---"  
  
"Shhh, Arwen! I see her!"  
  
Arwen shrugged and followed after her mother. Oh well. They might be old as it had not snowed for awhile.  
  
The little she-elf joined her mother and smiled. Yes! Her mother had found the doe and her yearling fawn! The doe was leaning up against a tree across the clearing and the fawn was close by her. There was already blood staining the ground. Her mother was quick! She ran past Celebrian, who stood with lowered bow, missing the fact that her mother still held an arrow ready to shoot.  
  
Twang! Another arrow shot out and Arwen just caught it out of the corner of her eye as she ran. A bright hot shooting pain went through her right shoulder and she fell to the snow. She heard faintly another "thwing" over her head and a faint groan.  
  
"Arwen!" Her mother screamed. Why was her mother screaming? She was going to frighten the doe and fawn away! The she-elf levered herself out of the snow and looked around. Why the deer had bled right here too! She looked over to the edge of the clearing opposite the deer where she saw moaning and thrashing going on. Rising slowly to her feet, Arwen saw a human male in ragged clothing writhing on the ground, an arrow through his left thigh.  
  
Her mother's face swam into view. "Arwen love, shh, do not move. I am going to get the horses."  
  
Arwen nodded and suddenly the pain hit her like a blow to the stomach and she started screaming to get her mother to stop. "Amme! Amme!" The blood on the snow was hers and she had an arrow in her shoulder! "Amme! Amme!" Arwen fell down again shaking and shivering in shock, her cries coming softer. The pain was excruciating and burned like fire.  
  
Lallayn stopped frightened by the terrible turn of events. She ran awkwardly to her husband who was bleeding from an arrow in the leg. She looked up and saw a woman running out of the clearing. And then, Lallayn opened her mouth in horror: There was little girl lying in the snow with an arrow in her shoulder! Pallan must have hit her by accident trying to finish off the deer.  
  
Celebrian, her eyes running with tears, went and quickly untied their horses and rushed back leading the animals to the glade.  
  
She completely ignored the man moaning in the snow. He had shot her daughter and he could bleed to death for all she cared. Dropping by Arwen, she ripped a length of linen off her under shift. And then before she could think too much more about it, she quickly pulled the arrow out of Arwen's shoulder and swiftly bound the injury.  
  
Helping her daughter get on her pony, she paused a moment startled, there was a woman kneeling next to the injured man and she was terribly pregnant. Oh Iluvatar! She'd shot the woman's husband!  
  
But she had to get Arwen to Elrond. Once they were back at the House, Celebrian would send out elves to retrieve the wounded man and his wife.  
  
Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and led the pony out of the glade opposite to where the woman and her man sat in the snow.  
  
She had not gotten ten yards away, when she heard the heavy step and panting breath of the pregnant woman coming up behind her.  
  
Celebrian, her face flushed with emotion, pulled her dagger out of her left boot and stood and faced the woman brandishing the weapon.  
  
"Yo-you can't leave my husband here!" Lallalyn cried. "He's bleeding a lot! He didn't mean to shoot your daughter! She just ran out after the arrow was loosed! Please!" The woman reached out to Celebrian.  
  
"I-I can and will madam! He shot my daughter! He has paid for his foolishness!" Celebrian stood there her eyes blazing. The more they stood there talking the longer Arwen sat on her pony bleeding!  
  
She turned and walked away. But her mother's heart clenched at leaving the woman and her husband. She said without turning. "I will send help."  
  
The woman behind her sobbed and turned back to her husband. Ooh what a nightmare this whole trip had become! 


	2. and in the end

Elrond and his sons ambled along the road that led from the High House down along the Bruinen watching idly the hoof prints of his wife and daughter's mounts. Easily noting the place where they turned off, Elrond pulled his stallion's head to the left, his sons close behind. The three elves kicked their complacent mounts into a trot and followed the two she-elves' route into the woods that crowded up against the western wall of the gorge.  
  
Celebrian bit her lip as she held her daughter upright on her pony and led her mare behind her. How tangled this all was! It was obvious the man had been hunting to provide for he and his wife and Arwen had just picked the wrong time to run. Celebrian closed her yes, tears gathering at the corners. But he could have killed her baby! She hugged the semi- conscious 10-year-old and hurried her steps. Well, she had promised to send someone back for the wounded man and his wife.  
  
What a terrible mess! Two days before the Eve of Yule!  
  
Elrond was laughing as Elladan recounted a hunting story, when all three stopped and listened.  
  
Celebrian! Elrond spurred his horse into a dead run, his sons behind him. Something was very wrong! Arwen?  
  
The elf lord's face went grim as leaned down closer to the neck of his stallion Rhean, his hair and cape flying like a midnight banners in a high wind. All three had drawn their swords and were ready to take on anything.  
  
Except the sight of their sister leaning over her pony, her right shoulder dark red with blood.  
  
Elrond, noting his wife's tearful face, sheathed his sword and leapt from the horse before it even stopped. Running over the snow, he careful picked up Arwen who murmured, "Ada, I am-I am shot by an arrow."  
  
"Shh, sweetheart. Ada is here." Looking at his wife, she pulled herself up and wiped her face.  
  
"We were hunting the deer she had tracked yesterday. We found her, but so had another hunter. One who has a young wife who is very much with child. Oh Elrond, Arwen ran just as the young man let loose his arrow! She could have died!" Celebrian put a hand to her mouth and dropped her head.  
  
Holding his child in one arm, he swiftly put his other around his distraught wife and kissed her on the forehead. "All will be well Celebrian, I swear this."  
  
Looking up at his sons, his own eyes suspiciously moist he indicated with a toss of his head. "Find the wounded hunter and his wife. We cannot leave them out here. It is going to snow soon."  
  
The shocked twins, nodded and slowly followed their mother's tracks back to the woodland glade.  
  
Elrond handed Arwen to his wife, mounted Rhean and then took her back. Waiting for her to remount he nodded once, spoke to his stallion and took off in a flurry of snow, Celebrian right behind him.  
  
Lallayn was hugging her husband, who had fallen unconscious when Elladan and Elrohir rode up.  
  
Both dismounted and slowly approached the couple. Lallayn just stared at the two.  
  
Elladan spoke up quietly. "Our father has sent us to take you back to Rivendell where both of you will be cared for. Come, we mean you no harm."  
  
Lallayn tried to keep her eyes on both young men (their hoods were up and she could not see their ears). Did he mean what he said? Rivendell? Lallalyn had heard of Rivendell. It was some kind of secret place where elves...lived. She brought a hand to her mouth! Then these were elves? She scrambled to her feet, wincing at her cold feet. She fell back against a nearby tree and then bit her lip. The two cloaked elves had moved closer to them.  
  
Lallalyn shivered in her cloak and backed up a few feet more, and then realized she was leaving her husband to their mercy. Oh no! She went forward again but by that time, the silent of the two had bent down and easily picked up Pallan and went over to his horse, putting the injured human in his saddle and then vaulting easily behind him. He turned to look at them.  
  
Elladan held out a hand to the frightened woman. "Come my lady. You need to get out of the cold." He stepped closer to her and Lallalyn torn between fear and relief found herself unable to move.  
  
That was all the time Elladan needed and he quickly picked her up and went back to his horse, sliding her carefully onto the saddle. Mounting behind her, he then picked her up and carried her across his lap as he knew riding astride would not be comfortable in her condition.  
  
Clucking to their horses the foursome rode off. Lallalyn looked up at the elf holding her and he smiled down at her as he skillfully made his way through the trees.  
  
"And your name my lady?"  
  
"I-I am Lallalyn and my husband is Pallan. We were headed to Bree and got lost."  
  
Elladan nodded. Never having handled a pregnant woman before, he put a gentle hand in wonder on her firm round belly. "Perhaps my judgment is faulty, but by your condition I would say your time is near. Why would you be traveling now?"  
  
Lallalyn sighed. "Pallan had no work and we thought we could make it before the baby came. I am all right at the moment. Just tired and cold."  
  
Elladan smiled at the small human woman and adjusted her more comfortably in his arms.  
  
"Well you will find rest in Rivendell Lallayn. We will be there shortly."  
  
Lallalyn was silent for a while and then, smiled suddenly. Soft fat flakes of snow drifted down to her face. She had always liked the snow, and now, she was relieved she would not have to sleep in it tonight. Perhaps the elves would let them sleep in the barn with the horses.  
  
Sighing deeply, she drifted off to sleep.  
  
Elladan grinned down at his suddenly slumbering charge and spurred his stallion into a canter.  
  
Arwen woke up slowly and immediately began to cry though she did not want to. But her shoulder hurt. She tried to gulp back her sobs but couldn't. "Oww! Ada! Ada!! My shoulder really, really hurts!" She squirmed and tried to sit up.  
  
"We are almost home, princess. Shh." Elrond bent and kissed his daughter's clammy forehead, sending her to back to sleep. His expression grew more grim as they neared the bridge over the Bruinen. And how had a human couple gotten so close to Rivendell without the guard detecting them?  
  
He would have a talk with Glorfindel tonight.  
  
Arwen opened her eyes again, slowly. She was very, very thirsty. Trying to sit up, she found she couldn't as her right arm had been immobilized by bandages against her body. Her shoulder felt stiff and tight. Tears came as Arwen looked at her wound. The arrow! And the deer and Ammë!  
  
"Ammë! Ada!" Arwen called out beginning to cry. Where were they?  
  
Elrond stepped out of her bathroom with a bowl of warm water with which to bathe his little one.  
  
Setting it, the soap and towel he'd brought aside, he sat next to his daughter and held her gently to him, rubbing her back and letting her cry. Turning, he picked up a goblet he had prepared and helped Arwen drink it down, smiling at her rush to finish it. He had made certain to put lots of honey and peppermint in it to cover up the medicinal herbs.  
  
Slowly her tears stopped as she succumbed to her father's healing touch and the medicine. He laid her back and pulling the blanket off, he began to gently bathe her with warm water and fragrant soap. Arwen, half asleep smiled at him. Her eyes never left his face, even when shortly thereafter, Celebrian came in with a bowl of soup.  
  
Setting it down, she leaned over her husbands shoulder. "How is my sweet pea?' She laid a hand on her daughter's hair, her eyes filling with tears again.  
  
"Ada made the pain go away Ammë." Arwen said tiredly. "But I cannot move my arm and here it is almost Yule and I will not be able be at the feast and- and."  
  
"Hush love, of course you will." Celebrian looked at Arwen's sleepy face. "You will have a wonderful Eve of Yule, I promise."  
  
Elrond finished bathing Arwen, wrapped her in a towel and softly patted her dry. Celebrian straightened and got a clean chemise and then with Elrond's help got the little she-elf into it.  
  
The healer rose and cleaned up. Celebrian sat in the chair he had just vacated and picked up Arwen's hand. "I shall stay here with you Arwen while Ada goes and looks at our two unexpected guests, all right? Maybe in a little while you can eat the broth that Resaldil made just for you."  
  
"Yes, Ammë." Arwen looked at her mother slightly frowning. "But what will happen to the poor baby deer? His Ammë's dead?"  
  
"I do not know love. Perhaps your brothers can find out."  
  
"I would like that Ammë. I was going to bring him hay to eat. He is so thin. Poor baby! Poor baby!"  
  
Elrond, wiping his hands on a towel bent and kissed Arwen slowly on the forehead, sending her into deep sleep and then with a hand on his wife's shoulder, he asked, "And this couple? What can you tell me about them?"  
  
"They are young humans" Celebrian looked at the now sleeping Arwen. "The wife is very pregnant and the husband I shot in the left thigh. I could not just kill him."  
  
Elrond turned to his wife and pulled her close with one arm, kissing the top of her head. "Of course not, my love."  
  
He looked down at his sleeping daughter and then bent and kissed her again, closing his eyes in pain briefly. He could have lost Arwen tonight, it was so easy to contemplate worse in this situation. He straightened slowly, brushing a few strands of hair off her face. "I will go check on Elladan's work. I asked him to tend to the wounded man. I will check on the young woman as well, though Elladan says she seems fine, just tired and undernourished."  
  
Celebrian nodded and then smiled up at her husband, the candlelight sparkling in her sapphire eyes. "Ahh, but you remember how quickly a mother- to-be can change from "just fine" to miserable with the first contractions!"  
  
Chuckling, he nodded and left, mentally reviewing his knowledge of childbirth and delivery and the supplies he had on hand to deal with it.  
  
Lallayn sighed deeply and awoke. She lay on her side in a semi-dark room in which only a small candle burned. She could not see much of the room, but the bed was very comfortable and warm. About to drift off again, she grunted and rolled up into a sitting position: Pallan! Where was he? She looked around the room and then with a sigh of relief, saw that he lay in a bed next to hers, asleep. His injured leg lay outside the blankets, wrapped from knee to ankle and resting on a small pillow. His knife wound had also been tended to.  
  
Smiling in relief, Lallayn got up awkwardly and went to her husband's side. Brushing his hair off his face, she was relieved to find he had no fever and slept soundly. She put a timid hand on his bandaged leg and bit her lip. Who had done this? The elves? She looked around the room and then rubbed her head. But the mother had been so angry! Lallayn sat on the edge of her bed. But so would she if someone had shot her child. She put her arms around her belly protectively.  
  
Elrond knocked softly on the guest room door and waited until he heard the woman bid him enter.  
  
The mother looked up at him as she knelt next to her husband's pale form. Erlond saw that Elladan had tended to the wounds in his usual efficient fashion. Smiling, he went over to the sleeping human and inspected the bandages, the one on the thigh showing a bit too much red for his liking. He eyed the supplies his son had left, and sighed as he realized he would need to redress it.  
  
Approaching the woman who stood as hastily as her condition allowed, he came over and silently helped her sit on her bed.  
  
"I am Elrond mistress. Welcome to Rivendell."  
  
Lallalyn swallowed and said timidly, "I-I am Lallayn and this is my husband Pallan." Frightened by the tall healer and frightened by the string of recent events, Lallalyn rubbed her face and bit her lip.  
  
She watched as the elf lord lit more candles and laying clean linen around her husband's leg, he unwrapped the bandage.  
  
Lallayn eyed the healer's careful work, but had to turn away after a few minutes, feeling ill. The wound was so-so bloody.  
  
And then she remembered the condition of the woman's daughter.  
  
Swallowing, afraid to be sick, she put a hand to her belly and asked hesitantly. "Ah, ah how is the little girl?"  
  
"My daughter will mend in time. She is sleeping now."  
  
Lallalyn grew more pale. The healer's child was the one Pallan had shot? Oh no!  
  
She stood unsteadily, "Oh, ah, I am so sorry my lord! We-we don't need to stay in this nice room." Lallalyn looked around at the fine Elven furniture, the fire burning cheerily, the tray of fruit and cheese and pot of steaming tea someone had left while she slept.  
  
Sighing, she tried to stretch out a sharp pain in her back. "We could just, well, if you want, we could stay in the stables. Really, that would be fine. You can save this room for some of your Yule guests."  
  
Elrond surprised, paused in his application of a cleansing tincture and putting aside the soaked pad, turned to the young human.  
  
"Mistress, as you noted, it is Yule season and that would make your husband and yourself my Yule guests." He smiled warmly at her, the candle light intensifying his gaze. "Do not fear for yourself, your husband or your babe. This room is yours until you are both ready to travel, which looks to be not for some time." It did not take his healer's senses to feel the overwhelming fear she projected. He laid a calming hand on her shoulder.  
  
Lallayn looked up at the elf lord and slumped under his warm touch touch. He helped her get comfortable on her bed.  
  
"Rest now mistress Lallayn while I finish up with your husband. When I am done, I shall direct my attention to you, all right?"  
  
Nodding tiredly, Lallayn lay back yawning and grunting as she turned on her side to keep an eye on her husband.  
  
Elrond turned with a smile to finish up with Pallan.  
  
He thoroughly examined the nervous young mother who allowed him access to her person with no demur.  
  
His gentle and sure hands calmed her a great deal and when he was finished, he helped her get dressed. He then went and got her a selection of fruit and cheese and brought over a cup of the still warm tea.  
  
Offering her the food, as the woman sat up from the nest of pillows he had made to support her, he grinned. "I am sure you do not need me to tell you are very close to delivery mistress! Any day now and you and your husband will meet your daughter!"  
  
Lallalyn, her mouth parted in surprise, took the plate of food, almost tipping it in surprise at the healer's words. He knew the baby was a girl! Oh my!  
  
Elrond took the dish from the small trembling hand and set it aside.  
  
"But mistress, as you must also know, you are a bit undernourished and I am a bit worried about your milk. We have no wet nurses here in Rivendell. You must try to eat well while waiting for your daughter."  
  
Lallalyn still dazed, nodded and automatically took a piece of cheese and popped it in her mouth. She could not get over the fact he knew it was a girl! Even the village mid-wife could only guess, though she was frequently right.  
  
"How do you know it's a girl?" Lallayn leaned forward grimacing slightly at the lower back pain.  
  
Elrond laughed at the young woman's amazed expression and stood looking down. "I can tell by reading the light of her spirit mistress. Now you must eat." Lallayn laughed and nodded, taking another piece of cheese.  
  
The healer stood adding, "I will make sure the kitchen sends heartier meals for you." He turned to look at Pallan, still deeply asleep. "And I will order broth for your husband. He should waken in an hour or so. He will likely be in some pain so offer him the goblet there."  
  
Lallalyn nodded, her mind whirling. She had to think of girl's names! She thoughtfully ate another piece of cheese. Masea? Ambra? Gaena?  
  
The elf lord smiled as he left the room, closing the door softly behind.  
  
Now, all was settled.  
  
And then he realized looking at the evening sky: the deer! If they wanted a deer for the Eve of Yule feast, someone would have to go get the animal before anything else did.  
  
As he went down to his study, he saw Glorfindel coming towards him still wearing his winter cloak.  
  
"Ah, Glorfindel. Just who I need."  
  
Grinning, the elf lord bowed slightly to his friend. "I am ever at your service my lord."  
  
Elrond snorted at his exaggerated courtesy. "First: How did a human couple slip between the first perimeter guards this afternoon?"  
  
Both of the blond elf's eyebrows went and as he followed his lord into the study, he began to pull off his still damp cape. Elrond stayed his hand. "No, I need you for another task and it will be outdoors."  
  
Glorfindel, his eyes glittering in the candlelight bowed again.  
  
"What does my lord command?"  
  
"The couple?" Elrond went around his desk and sat and folded his hands before his face, his eyes bright and intense on his old friend.  
  
Glorfindel sprawled in a chair before Elrond and said, "We had a sighting of a wolf pack earlier this morning and two guards were attacked. No injuries, only their dignities were damaged. I am afraid we were too zealous in our efforts and through that, there was a hole in our perimeter watch."  
  
"Which should never happen again, my old friend. Tomorrow we will go over the watch schedule and make sure there are enough elves to watch the first perimeter AND hunt a wolf pack." He leaned back smiling slightly. "And did you track them down?"  
  
"Yes indeed. There will be several nice pelts from them as well."  
  
Glorfindel looked at Elrond through lowered eyes. "And the other task Elrond?"  
  
"Celebrian and Arwen brought down a doe this afternoon. There was a bit of a.problem, which involved this young couple, necessitating leaving the carcass behind. It should be about 500 yards from where the river turns west, through the aspen grove. Would you please bring the animal to the meat cellar so we may have it for the Eve of Yule feast? And let Resaldil know it is on its way?"  
  
Glorfindel rose smoothly from the chair, adjusting his cloak. "Of course."  
  
Just as he was almost out the door, Elrond stop him. "My friend, if by any chance there is a yearling fawn standing guard by it's mother, would you please bring it back to the stables, alive and unharmed?"  
  
Glorfindel gave his lord a look of confusion but simply bowed and went quickly out.  
  
Elrond smiled and sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. A good hot bath would improve his outlook immeasurably at the moment. But first he needed to see Arwen again.  
  
As he walked down the corridor to his daughter's room, hands behind his back, his long deep blue robe brushing against his ankles, acknowledging the salutes of his fellow elves with a smile, the Lord of Imladris pondered fate.  
  
The Yule season usually signaled a break in the cold winter pursuits, a chance to realize that even in the depths of winter, friendship and love abounded and would carry them on into the renewal of Spring. Thus, the feast of Yule, especially the Eve of Yule was a time for families and friends to remember what they did have and revel in it with a feast and even small presents.  
  
And yet - by a hairsbreadth, his family's Yule could have been a dark, dark occasion. He could have lost his Undomiel, his sweet princess. And at the hands of a half-starved human just trying to provide for his burgeoning family. Elrond smiled and shook his said slightly as he paused to look out a window where the snow was still drifting past slowly and gracefully. Here in his House, a timid young human female was about to share a new life with them.  
  
He took a deep breath. Just as a reminder that even in the darkness, fresh hope can shine forth.  
  
He opened the door of his daughter's room and Celebrian looked up with a slight smile. "All is well Elrond. She actually drank half the soup and hour ago."  
  
Elrond joined his wife and stood looking down at the sleeping and thankfully untroubled face of his daughter. He gently took her pulse and was glad to note it was strong and even. Arwen's forehead was cool under his lips as he kissed her.  
  
Pulling Celebrian out of the chair, he sat down and then placed his wife in his lap, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, both parents eyes focused on their sleeping child, warm in the light of the bedside candles.  
  
There was always hope.  
  
  
  
(MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!!!) 


End file.
